Railway draft appliance



Aug. 31, 1937. s. L. JOINER 2,091,446

RAILWAY DRAFT APPLIANCE I Filed July 9, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor74 Q fizmaarfia M m i Attorneys Aug. 31, 1937. s. JOINER RAILWAY DRAFTAPPLIANCE Filed July 9, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sylves/er Z jz 2; er

Attorneys Patented Aug. 31, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT or ies 2 Claims.

The present invention appertains to new and useful improvements inrailway draft appliances and more particularly to couplers of the rotaryoperating type.

In this type of coupler the lock is operated by a rotary release riggingwhich extends laterally to one side of the car, and this serves tooperate a lock lift lever on the coupler proper, which in turn isconnected to the lock of the coupler by a toggle. When the lock of thistype of coupler is in released or elevated position, it is supported bya ledge thereof resting on the usual knuckle thrower.

While this type of coupler has proven very efficient in use over longperiods of time, the same is nevertheless susceptible of one troublesomeoccurrence, and that is, that frequently the lock hangs on the knucklethrower when the coupling impact is effected, with the result that thelock does not drop into locking position.

The extra operations the trainmen must perform and the resulting delayin time proves cost- 1y, so it is, therefore, the object of the presentinvention to rectify this defect by providing a small weighted pendanton the toggle, so that the impact in coupling the cars will cause thetoggle to swing in a direction insuring a complete removal of the lookfrom the knuckle thrower.

In the drawings:--

Figure 1 represents a fragmentary vertical sectional view through acoupler showing the lock in released position.

Figure 2 represents a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing thelock in looking position.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the toggle showing the weightedpendant.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the improved toggle.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the rotary lock liftlever, toggle and lock assembly.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, itcan be seen that the numeral 5 represents the body of the con-- pling onwhich is mounted the knuckle 6 supported by the knuckle pin 1. The body5 is hollow and has the lock generally referred to by numeral 8 mountedtherein and the coupling illustrated is adapted to accommodate a toplock lifter (not shown) the opening through which the same operatesbeing shown capped as at 9.

The lock 8 is provided with the head l0 which is constructed to define ashoulder II. The lock is furthermore provided with a depending shank I 2which is provided with a slanting slot I3 at its lower end above whichthe said shank is provided with the ledge l4 under which the knucklethrower 15 engages as shown in Figure 1 to retain the lock 8 in elevatedor released position. 5

Numeral l6 generally refers to the rotary lock lifting lever which isprovided with the saddle ll at one end resting on the fulcrum pin 13while its opposite end is provided with an opening to receive the lowerpintle IS on the toggle 10 26, which toggle is provided with a lateralpintle 2! at its upper end for disposition through the slanting slot [3in the lock 8. The lateral finger on the rod of the usual rotary releaserigging (not shown) engages the lock lift lever l3 by being 15 disposeddownwardly through an opening in the intermediate portion of said lever.

In carrying out the present invention, a pendant generally referred toby numeral 22 is provided on the toggle 20. The conventional toggleterminates at the lower pintle 19, while the improvement, namely, thispendant consists of the depending arm or shank 23 provided with theweighted ball or enlargement 24 on its lower end.

The mechanism of the coupler as shown in Figure 2 is in coupler lockingposition and to release the lock 8, the release rigging (not shown) isrotated with its hook end engaged with the lever I6 so as to effect anupward movement of the lock 8 to the end that the ledge I4 of the lockwill rest upon the knuckle thrower I 5 in the manner shown in Figure 1.Thus the coupler is set in released position.

In coupling cars, the coupler assemblies are brought together by impact,but frequently the lock 8 will remain in released position, that is, inthe elevated position shown in Figure 1 due to the failure of the lock 8and knuckle thrower to separate. However, due to the provision of theweighted member 24 depending below the toggle 20 and attached thereto,the toggle using its lower pin I9 as a fulcrum will swing so that itsupper end will move the lower end of the lock 8 to the left in Figure 1,thus causing it to drop off of the knuckle thrower I5 and insure theproper placement of the lock 8 in coupler locking position as shown inFigure 2.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specificterms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, sizeand materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coupler, a coupling knuckle, a knuckle 10 toggle.

2. In a coupler, a coupling knuckle, a knuckle thrower, a. lock for saidknuckle, said knuckle thrower being adapted to retain the lock incoupler released position, a rotary lock lift lever and toggle foractuating the lock to lock released position, said toggle being providedwith 2. depending shank rigidly carried thereby and having a weightedconstruction thereon.

SYLVESTER L. JOINER.

